A poignant symbol commemorating the victims of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history is missing. Pittsburgh Public Schools officials confirmed that a memorial plaque dedicated to the 11 individuals whose lives were abruptly taken at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 has been stolen from the exterior of Taylor Allderdice High School. "We remain committed to honoring the victims' memory and the importance of this memorial in our community," officials stated in a release reported by WPXI.
The missing plaque was discovered recently, though when exactly it was removed from its solemn watch outside the high school remains unclear. Attempts to identify persons responsible using security footage have drawn a blank, leaving investigators and school officials devoid of leads. The names of the victims - Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Dan Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger – which were once engraved on the plaque, now linger in absence as the community grapples with the theft.
Squirrel Hill, the neighborhood that Taylor Allderdice High School calls home, has been a bedrock for Pittsburgh's Jewish community, making the plaque's disappearance even more unsettling. According to officials, a replacement has been swiftly ordered and is expected to be installed ahead of the tragedy's six-year anniversary. CBS News reported that the replacement is meant to ensure that the commemoration can proceed with the gravity and respect it deserves.
